PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has extended job tenure of the special police force for another two years and approved increase in salaries of the personnel to improve security system and ensure protection of people in the province.

A statement, issued by home and tribal affairs department here on Thursday, said that finance department issued a notification in that regard. It said that salary of each of the 2,925 personnel of special police force in Peshawar and Malakand di-vision was raised by Rs5,000. They would also get arrears of the previous three months.

According to Home Secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, the tenure of special police force had expired on Dec 31, 2013. However, a suggestion for extension in its tenure was submitted to the provincial government as the force could play vital role in maintenance of law and order situation in the province, he said.

Mr Shah said that the extension was given on the basis of sacrifices rendered by the special police force during the past few years. Police would take all possible steps for protection of the people and restorationof peace, he said. He added that the police force would be imparted standard training to make it most effective.

Meanwhile, police have established media hotline at Central Police Office Peshawar to keep close liaison with people to control crimes and ensure protection of the citizens.

Police spokesman Riaz Ahmed said that media hotline was set up on the directives of Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani to respond to journalists round the clock.

`For this purpose a separate toll free telephone number (0800-00400) has also been installed at CPO thatwill provide service to mediamen 24 hours to facilitate people in providing information,` he added.

A separate standing operating procedure, Mr Ahmed said, was also prepared and any information and complaint received from any journalist would be registered and forwarded to the DPO concerned.

All district heads of police would take immediate steps to address those complaints and inform media hot line regarding action taken on the complaint. DSP Branch has been nominated supervisory officer of the media hot line. All reports will be submitted to IGP on regular basis.